Nick Lodolo

The Pirates drafted Lodolo 41st overall in 2016 but he decided not to sign, opting instead to play for TCU. He immediately joined the Horned Frogs’ rotation, where he has been solid, but not dominant, over the last two years. Lodolo has a long, lean, projectable frame at 6-foot-6, 185 pounds. His lively fastball sits in the low 90s and he uses his height to throw it from a steep downhill angle. He mixes in a sharp curveball and a changeup. He can create plenty of swings and misses (he averaged 10.87 strikeouts per nine innings last spring) but he also has been hit more than would be expected for a pitcher with his stuff (9.35 hits per nine innings). Lodolo’s upside is significant, and with a strong spring he could be the top college pitcher off the board.